A POCKET GUIDE TO THE LIFE AND WORK OF BOHUSLAV MARTINŮ JAROSLAV MIHULE / 2008 František Martinů, colored drawing from a scrapbook 1 FROM POLIČKA TO PRAGUE 1890 — 1922 2 On The Polička Tower 1.1 Bohuslav came into the world in a tiny room on the gallery of the church tower where his father, Ferdinand Martinů, apart from being a shoemaker, also carried out a unique job as the tower- keeper, bell-ringer and watchman. Polička - St. James´ Church and the Bastion “On December 8th, the crow brought us a male, a boy, and on Dec. 14th 1.2 A Loving Family he was baptized as It was the mother who energetically took charge of the whole family. She was Bohuslav Jan.” the paragon of order and discipline: strict, pious – a Roman Catholic, naturally, as (The composer’s father were most inhabitants of this hilly region. made this entry in the Of course, she loved all of her children. With Ferdinand Martinů she had fi ve; and family chronicle.) the youngest and probably the most coddled was Bohuslav, born to the accom- paniment of the festive ringing of all the bells, as the town celebrated on that day the holiday of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary. To be born high above the ground, almost within the reach of the sky, seemed in itself to promise an exceptional life ahead. Also his brother František and his sister Marie had their own special talents. František graduated from art school and made use of his artistic skills above all 3 as a restorer and conservator of church art objects in his homeland as well as abroad. Marie, who after fi nishing her apprenticeship and a subsequent internship in France opened a clothes boutique in Polička, spoke French and Esperanto and studied stenography. The parents thus had a good reason to be proud of all their children. The Journey to Music 1.3 The boy grew up secluded from the world at large. His mother recalled many At about three incidents from his youth, including his delight in playing with paper soldiers and his fi rst imaginative attempt at music making. With two sticks of wood he «played» the violin. Some time later, at the annual fair, his father bought him a toy fi ddle and a small drum. Full of joy, Bohuš kept walking around the tower terrace fi ddling and drumming. Bohuš is second from the right, sitting Young Martinů lived nearly twelve years in that tower. He was tall, thin and feeble. More than once in his early childhood his father would have to carry him up the stairs on his shoulders in order to save him the exhausting climb up those one hundred and ninety-three steps that separated them from the life of the town down bellow. Bohuslav had hardly started going to school when his parents entrusted him to the care of a Polička music teacher. Mr. Černovský had no particular qualifi cations for such professional activity, but Martinů never forgot that humble Polička tailor. An old photograph shows his robust fi gure contrasting with the naïve faces of his pupils. Bohuslav seems to be somewhat frightened of the camera. Many of his funny self-portraits, with which he decorated his letters to friends and classma- tes, show a clever small mouse, a being that prefers to be hidden, satisfi ed, merry, not aggressive but which knows how to take care of himself. 4 As his education progressed, his talent was becoming step by step more obvious. He was enjoying fi rst successes as a young violinist. He played with the adults in a local amateur quartet; and, in 1905, gave his fi rst public ”concert” in the neighboring village of Borová. In fact, after one of his performances, the local newspaper published an impassionate appeal to the Polička public: We have here a gifted and promising young man... All that is required is for some generous rich benefactor or business fi rm to take note of this needy The Conservatory was young fellow so that he can attend the Conservatory. I believe that one day he housed in Rudolfi num, could bring honor both to his rich benefactor and Polička. He who can, help! later known as The House And the support was really forthcoming. During the summer holidays of 1906, of Artists, a beautiful Karolina Martinů set out with her youngest son for Prague in order to introduce neo-renaissance building him to renowned musical experts; and in the fall of that year Bohuslav Martinů (built 1876-1884), but successfully passed the entrance examination for the violin class of the Prague classes took place also in Conservatory. other parts of Prague. At the Conservatory 1.4 The Prague Conservatory had been at the turn of the century a highly exacting school, proud of the roots which led to its foundation in 1811 and on to its brilliant period with Antonín Dvořák as professor of composition. But after his death in 1904 many things changed, and Martinů found himself a student at an institution whose rigid and overly academic approach might had appeared insensitive and even hostile to him and his fellow students of music. What was even worse was that, contrary to his recent experience in Polička or at the little inn in Borová, no one was enthusiastic about his violin playing. I am devoting myself to violin exercises. (It is hard to „exercise a violin“ if you hold the bow with the left hand) 5 Also, he was now turning more and more to composition. In his early musical childhood he already made an attempt at a string quartet entitled Tři jezdci (Three Riders) based on a poem by the famous Czech poet Jaroslav Vrchlický. The more his personality matured in the exciting Prague cultural milieu of the time the faster the Conservatory became dissatisfi ed with his work there. After the 1909 vacation he decided to switch over to the organ department where composition was then taught. However, not even in the composition class was he successful. On the contrary. On June 4, 1910 he was expelled from the Conservatory „for incorrigible negligence“! After his dismissal from the Conservatory, composing became a permanent challenge to him - he composed regularly almost every day until his death, “condemned“ to write music, at fi rst without any hope of performance or appreciation. From this time on, an uninterrupted fl ow of compositions was coming from this pen of an independ- ent musician. The accusation by the Conservatory of «incorrigible negligence» thus appears even more absurd today. I have a new cap. The style „Run away“! Czech language and teaching theory – failed Harmony – failed History of music – failed Violin – failed Practical teaching demonstration - good Prague and a Life Crisis 1.5 At home his parents were patient, but naturally also disappointed and dissatisfi ed with the way their son was progressing. He owed a great deal to them, but even his next attempt to vindicate his musical ambitions did not succeed. He took the State examination required for a private music teacher’s license. Surviving letters and documents show, however, that he failed again. “That state exam is taken by people who don’t even know what music is and they pass it, but here am I devoting my whole life to it, career, and everything... What kind of a person am I supposed to be in order to earn such a certifi cate?“ 6 His fi ght with a piano He did not let the adverse result of the state exam- ination discourage him, and on a second try a year later he passed it. His struggles in those Prague years are typical of his entire life style. “Everything can be achieved if we really want it and if we have the patience to go for it.“ However, out of this jumble of temporary diffi cul- ties there suddenly emerged another notable encounter: that with Stanislav Novák. They got acquainted at the Conservatory. His future friend Novák had also come to Prague from a little country town, his head full of great plans, and fi rmly deter- mined to bring them to their logical conclusion. The career of this young violinist was brilliant in compar- ison with that of Bohuslav, and progressed rapidly. He became an outstanding Czech virtuoso and very soon occupied the prestigious position of leader at the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, When we are in Paris a post that he was to hold from 1917 to 1936. Bohuš and Stáňa stayed together (Two lions of high and helped one another to make the diffi culties and poverty of student life more society- „N’est-ce pas, bearable. Their common dreams are also depicted in Martinů‘s sketchbook. mon ami?“) 1.6 A Music Teacher in Polička When we are in London When the First World War broke out, Martinů succeeded in avoiding military service (A distrust for the on the grounds of ill health. He lived alternatively between Prague and Polička, but Channel: hunger and lack of money eventually made him settle in the safe environment of Do you see? It is Kanál his native town beginning with the summer of 1916. Polička could provide more de la Manča.) favorable living conditions than the capital, which year after year experienced more and more economic troubles. There he began to teach music, play with local amateur musicians, study French and, of course, compose. 7 Martinů‘s apprentice years seemed to be slowly drawing to a close. His fi rst period as a young composer can be classifi ed as a period of decadence.